IRN - Iran determined to honor Aidin's memory at Olympics

TEHRAN (Olympic Games) - The shock and the sadness that has followed the tragic death of Iran basketball star Aidin Nekkhah Bahrami will not go away.

Aidin, 26, and his fiancée died in a car crash in the early morning hours of December 28, while two other passengers survived.

But Iran coach Rijko Toroman is determined to honor the memory of Aidin by keeping the national team that he had been so proud to represent strong.

Iran will play at the Olympics in August.

"Now, I think there’s two points after this tragedy," Toroman said this week.

“Samad, Aidin’s brother, should continue stronger than before.

"And to make Aidin happy," Toroman said, "the national team should also have a stronger performance in the Olympic games.”

Aidin, whose brother Mohammad Samad Nikkhah Bahrami is the captain of Iran, averaged 13 points per game last year at the FIBA Asia Championship to help the country win the gold medal and qualify for the Beijing Games.

Samad poured in 14 points per contest.

The triumph in Japan at the FIBA Asia Championship was the country's proudest moment on the basketball court.

The grief that has followed Aidin's death has been immense.

Many people participated in his funeral and honored his memory.

Various officials, coaches and athletes attended his funeral escort the day after the accident. A burial ceremony was then held in the graveyard of a Tehran suburb.

All of the games that week in Iran were cancelled. “Aidin was not only an outstanding basketball player, but also a very nice and polite person," Toroman said.

“He was a gentleman."

FAT - First FIBA Arbitral Tribunal case is settled

GENEVA (FIBA Arbitral Tribunal) - The first FIBA Arbitral Tribunal (FAT) case concerned a dispute between the Montenegrin player Mr. Djuro Ostojic represented by FIBA licensed player agent Mr. Miodrag Raznatovic as Claimant, and the Greek Basketball Club PAOK KAE Thessalonica, Greece as Respondent over the player’s salary. As the Respondent chose not to participate in the proceedings the FAT arbitrator had to make use of the default provisions in the FAT Arbitration rules on 16th August 2007.

After the failure by the Greek Basketball club PAOK KAE to honor the FAT Award, and after numerous reminders to honour the FAT Award, FIBA had to entail a sanction on 29th November 2007 to the PAOK KAE club in banning them of the registration of new players, as provided in the FIBA Internal Regulations.

After intervention and help of the Hellenic Basketball Federation the case has been settled and the ban on PAOK KAE club to register new players has been lifted.

For further information on the FAT Arbitral decision, please click here.

The FIBA Arbitral Tribunal (FAT), a true court of arbitration under Swiss law, has been operational for nine months. It has been created by FIBA in order to facilitate and speed up the resolution of disputes between clubs and players/agents. Proceedings before FAT are swift, efficient and inexpensive. Failure to honor a FAT Award may entail sanctions by FIBA to clubs, player agents, or players, as provided in the FIBA Internal Regulations.